United States Association for the Study of Pain

What United States Association for the Study of Pain does

United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association incorporated in Maryland (bylaws adopted July 21, 2020) that convenes the U.S. pain research community. It serves pain researchers and scientists, clinicians and healthcare providers, policymakers and advocates, and People with Lived Experience of pain, with an estimated membership base of more than 1,000 drawn from leading U.S. academic medical centers. Its core outputs are The Journal of Pain (a peer-reviewed journal published via Elsevier), the Annual Scientific Meeting (Chicago 2025, Philadelphia 2026, Denver 2027), pre-conference workshops and an Early Career Forum, the Leadership Academy, and the 'OUCH' Pain Podcast.

USASP's product portfolio centers on knowledge dissemination and professional development: peer-reviewed publishing, multi-tier conference programming with in-person and virtual attendance, special interest groups (Diversity, Inclusion, and Access; Sickle Cell Disease), and a structured awards stack including the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Award in Pain ($150,000 over three years), the USASP MAYDAY Clinical/Translational Research Award ($50,000), the Gold-Haythornthwaite Lifetime Achievement Award, the G.F. Gebhart Young Investigators Award, Travel Awards, and the Awards for High Priority Early Career Investigators. The technology footprint is intentionally lightweight: a Wix-hosted public site, a MemberClicks membership portal, the Fourwaves abstract management platform, and Zoom for webinars.

The business model is a hybrid non-profit revenue stack: recurring membership dues from Regular and Trainee members, one-time conference and workshop registration fees (trainee full in-person $400; regular member $750–$1,210; non-member $980–$1,440; virtual $50–$600), tiered corporate sponsorships (Diamond, Platinum, Gold) led by WashU Medicine Pain Center, SPARC, and MAIN, and tax-deductible donations. Conference operations are priced to break even rather than profit, with hotel blocks negotiated below market. Distribution is direct via online membership and conference registration, and USASP's role as an NIH HEAL Initiative co-convener (PURPOSE Network, PRECISION Human Pain Network, Music4Pain/AudioAnalgesia/ENSEMBLE) and IASP-affiliated national chapter gives it regulatory and convening leverage that underwrites the model's durability.

Name

United States Association for the Study of Pain

Legal name

United States Association for the Study of Pain Inc.

Website

https://usasp.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

USASP is a 501(c)(3) professional association that advances pain science in the United States by publishing The Journal of Pain, hosting an annual scientific meeting and pre-conference workshops, administering research awards (Rita Allen, MAYDAY, Gebhart), and convening researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and people with lived experience of pain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Annapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees for Regular Members and Trainee Members providing access to resources, networking, and member benefits.
2. Conference Registration: Registration fees for annual scientific meetings and pre-conference workshops, including in-person and virtual attendance options.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship packages at Diamond, Platinum, and Gold levels supporting the annual meeting.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Tax ID: 84-4008678). General donations and dedicated funds such as the Travel Award Fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

USASP is a U.S. national non-profit professional association that advances pain science through member services, scholarly publishing, annual scientific meetings, advocacy, and grant programs. It convenes pain researchers, clinicians, and policymakers around The Journal of Pain, the Annual Scientific Meeting, the Leadership Academy, the 'OUCH' Pain Podcast, Special Interest Groups, and a portfolio of awards and grants supporting early-career investigators.

Product overview

USASP is a professional association (501(c)(3) nonprofit) focused on advancing pain research and improving pain care through scientific collaboration, education, and advocacy. Its portfolio includes The Journal of Pain as its primary peer-reviewed publication, the Annual Scientific Meeting as its flagship conference event, and various pre-conference workshops including the Early Career Forum and Leadership Academy. The association supports researchers through multiple grant and award programs including the Rita Allen Foundation Award ($150,000/3 years), MAYDAY Clinical/Translational Research Award ($50,000), G.F. Gebhart Young Investigators Award ($1,000), Travel Awards, and the High Priority Early Career Award. USASP also provides membership services, Special Interest Groups for networking, the 'OUCH' Pain Podcast for education, and a Newsletter for communications. The organization facilitates virtual events through Zoom and manages abstract submissions through the Fourwaves platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Journal of Pain USASP's official peer-reviewed scholarly journal publishing original articles, reviews, and focused content across basic, translational, and clinical pain research, epidemiology, education, and health policy. Accessible through the Elsevier platform with open access options.
• USASP Membership Program Paid annual membership for Regular and Trainee members providing access to association resources, reduced conference registration rates, networking opportunities, and involvement in governance and Special Interest Groups.
• Leadership Academy Educational program building leadership capabilities among members in pain research and clinical practice, offered as part of USASP's professional development portfolio.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and primary.

• PURPOSE Network (NIH HEAL Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026NIH and NIH HEAL Initiative funded network holding annual meetings coinciding with USASP Annual Scientific Meeting. PURPOSE provides learning experiences, networking, and collaborations for pain researchers across basic, translational, and clinical research, connecting them with NIH Program Officers and mentors.
• PRECISION Human Pain NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Network of four research centers (WashU and UT Dallas Pain Centers) providing updates on data generation, network-wide projects, and collaboration opportunities. Sponsored by WashU and UT Dallas Pain Centers.
• NIH-funded Music Research Networks (Music4Pain, AudioAnalgesia, ENSEMBLE)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Three NIH-funded research networks collaborating on a half-day workshop focused on music-based interventions for pain management, covering mechanisms, methodological challenges, and technological advances.
• SCDPAIN (Sickle Cell Disease Pain Research)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner organization for the 2026 USASP Sickle Cell Disease Pre-Conference Workshop, building bridges across disciplines to accelerate progress in pain research for people living with sickle cell disease.
• WashU Medicine Pain CenterprimaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Diamond sponsor for 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis houses leading pain research programs including the Center for Advanced Pain Studies.
• SPARC (Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions)primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Diamond sponsor and NIH program Office of Strategic Coordination funded initiative contributing to pain research infrastructure.
• MAIN (Midwest Pain Research Institute)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Diamond sponsor representing University of Texas at Dallas Pain Center, supporting annual meeting as part of collaborative pain research community.
• Pain Research ForumsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Gold sponsor. Online community for pain researchers providing news, resources, and discussion forums for the pain research community.
• International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025International parent organization providing liaison representation on USASP Board of Directors. A liaison from IASP Executive Committee or Board serves as ex-officio non-voting member.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R): AAPM&R is a large specialty society for physiatrists, many of whom manage pain. It runs an annual meeting, the journal PM&R, and CME programs that overlap with USASP's rehabilitation-focused pain clinicians.
• American Academy of Neurology (AAN): AAN is a large specialty society for neurologists, many of whom treat and research pain. It offers an annual meeting, journals (Neurology), and CME, overlapping with USASP's clinician-researcher base in neurology-led pain research.
• Society for Neuroscience (SfN): SfN is a much larger, broader neuroscience professional society with an annual meeting of tens of thousands and the Journal of Neuroscience. Many USASP members (basic pain researchers) also belong to SfN, making it a broad incumbent competing for the same scientific audience.

Direct peers

• American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM): AAPM is the U.S. multispecialty medical society for pain physicians, offering an annual meeting, peer-reviewed journal (Pain Medicine), CME, and advocacy. It overlaps with USASP in target members (clinicians treating pain) but skews more clinical vs. USASP's research orientation.
• International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP): IASP is the global parent scientific society for pain research; USASP serves as the U.S. national chapter with a formal liaison on USASP's Board. IASP and USASP share mission, Journal ecosystem, and membership base, making IASP the most directly comparable peer.

Emerging players

• American Headache Society (AHS): AHS is a professional society focused on headache and pain research/clinical care, with annual meetings, journals (Headache), and awards. It is a focused specialty comparator that competes for the same pain-researcher audience and runs a similar member/conference model.
• North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS): NANS is a scientific and clinical society for neuromodulation, an active pain-treatment modality. It runs a major annual meeting and journal, overlapping with USASP's clinician-researcher base in interventional pain management.
• American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA Pain Medicine): ASRA Pain Medicine is a specialty society for regional anesthesia and pain medicine clinicians, operating an annual meeting and the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. It competes for the interventional-pain clinician segment of USASP's audience.

Regional players

• British Pain Society: British Pain Society is the UK national multidisciplinary pain forum, offering annual scientific meetings, publications, and clinical/research programs. It is the closest structural analog to USASP outside North America.
• Canadian Pain Society: Canadian Pain Society is the Canadian national pain-research association, with parallel structure to USASP (annual meeting, awards, advocacy). It serves a different geography but is structurally comparable to USASP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/USASP2020
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/us-asp
• Instagraminstagram.com/us_asp
• Xx.com/US_ASP

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United States Association for the Study of Pain